Spatial and temporal changes of human disturbances and their effects on landscape patterns in the Jiangsu coastal zone, China

Human disturbance is one of the essential forces affecting changes in landscape patterns. Studying the relationship between human disturbances and landscape patterns is of significance for regional conservation and ecosystem management. An understanding of this relationship is also crucial for the mitigation of conflicts between socioeconomic development and environmental protection. In this study, using remote sensing data and geographical information system technology, we created a quantitative method to assess the intensity of human disturbance on the landscape by introducing the concept of hemeroby. By means of the measurement of hemeroby and statistical approaches, we quantitatively analyzed the temporal and spatial changes of human disturbances and their effects on landscape patterns in the Jiangsu coastal zone, China, from 1995 to 2013. The results showed that the intensity of human disturbance gradually increased from 1995 to 2013. While the increasing rate of intensity of human disturbance has slowed down from early period (1995-2002) to later period (2002-2013) because of differences in exploitation activities and regional development policies. Spatially, the hemeroby increased most obviously in the southern counties and northern Ganyu County, resulting from port construction and tidal flat reclamation. Depending on the different degrees of human disturbance, landscape patterns showed obvious differences. Compared with low-level and high-level human disturbance, mid-level human disturbance contributed to more fragmented landscape, more complex patch shape, lower connectivity, and higher diversity. A correlation analysis between landscape indices and hemeroby suggested that the landscape patterns in regions with high-level human disturbance were relatively sensitive to changes in the intensity of human activities. The findings in this paper provide additional spatial information and theoretical guidance for regional conservation and ecosystem management in the Jiangsu coastal zone, China.